Container handle and top closure

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a container in which tabs are cut from the opposing, first-closed, or inner closure flaps, the tabs extending to the hinged margin of the closure flaps. The free end portions of the inner closure flaps have upturned registering marginal portions forming a carrying handle, the overlying outer closure flaps having slots accommodating the handle portions of the inner flaps and the tabs extending in overlying relation to the outer closure flaps and into locking engagement with said handle portions.

United States Patent Jon M. Schwaner;

Lloyd W. Ellson, both of Indianapolis, Ind. 47,194

June 18, 1970 Nov. 9, 1971 Inland Container Corporation Indianapolis, Ind.

Inventors App], No. Filed Patented Assignee CONTAINER HANDLE AND TOP CLOSURE 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 229/52 B, 229/39 Int. Cl 365d 5/46 Field of Search 229/38, 39, 52 B [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,l5l,733 3/l939 Bonfield 229/52 X 2,805,0l9 9/1957 Muhs et al. 229/52 3,166,235 H1965 Schroeder 229/52 Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Michael Y. Mar Atlorney- Woodard, Weikart, Emhardt & Naughton ABSTRACT: Disclosed is a container in which tabs are cut from the opposing, first-closed, or inner closure flaps, the tabs extending to the hinged margin of the closure flaps. The free end portions of the inner closure flaps have upturned registering marginal portions forming a carrying handle, the overlying outer closure flaps having slots accommodating the handle portions of the inner flaps and the tabs extending in overlying relation to the outer closure flaps and into locking engagement with said handle portions.

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' ATTORNEYS CONTAINER HANDLE AND TOP CLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the container industry the basic concept of forming container carrying handles from extensions of the inner, or first closed, end flaps, with the handle portions extending up through slots in the outer end flaps is well known. Examples of such construction are disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,239,l and 2,599,800. It is also well known to have the tabs formed when the usually U-shaped handle portions are stuck from the closure flaps) extend in overlapping relation through the registering handle portions. The closure flaps of such structure tend to distort and bow upwardly when a heavily loaded container is supported at its carrying handle.

The structure of the present invention eliminates this difficulty by extending the length of the tabs, formed when the U- shaped handle portions are struck from the container blank, to the compete length of the closure flap. The elongated tabs are disposed in overlying, bracing relation to the outer closure flaps and extend through the handle portions. The bracing action of the extended-length, overlying tabs is obtained without requiring any larger container blank as compared to that required to provide the conventional carrying handle feature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, top plan view of the blank from which a container embodying the present invention may be formed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container at an intermediate stage in the closing of its top.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the container of FIG. 2 at a further stage in the closing of its top.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the closure of the top of the container completed.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the completed container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention is embodied in a container which is formed from a flat, corrugated board blank shown in FIG. 1. The blank has score lines which define side panels of the generally rectangular container, the side panels being identified at 10, ll, 12 and 13. A score line 14 defines a tab 16 and when the container is erected, this tab 16 overlies a portion of the panel 13 (as will be evident from FIG. 2) and is glued or stapled to the panel 13 to form the conventional manufacturers joint, a taped joint might also be utilized.

Score lines l7, l8, l9 and 21 define the junction between generally rectangular enclosure flaps 22, 23, 24 and 26 with the side panels I0, l1, l2 and 13, respectively. When the container is erected and the enclosure flaps are moved into position, the flaps 22 and 24 become the underlying or inner flaps and the flaps 23 and 26 become the overlying or outer flaps.

In forming the blank, cuts are made to define generally U- shaped handle portions 22a and 24a in the inner panels 22 and 24, respectively. Score lines 22b and 24b are placed in the tabs 22 and 24 to permit folding of the handle portions out of the plane of the flaps and into registering position as will subsequently be explained. The cuts forming the central portion of the handle members 22a and 24a are extended to the score lines 17 and 19 which form the junction between the inner flaps and their adjacent side panels. These extended cuts define tabs 22c and 24c. The outer flaps 23 and 26 are each provided with central slots 23a and 26a which, when the closure of the top of the container is completed, accommodate the upwardly extending handle portions 22a and 24a.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, after the box has been erected and filled, the top closure is accomplished by initially closing inner flap 22 and then closing inner flap 24. The tabs 22c and 240 are separated from the now horizontal inner fiaps and permitted to remain extending upwardly. The handle portions 24a and 22a are moved into upwardly extending, registering position as shown in FIG. 2. The outer flaps 26 and 23, as seen in FIG. 2 remain in upwardl extending sition.

As may be seen in FIG. 3 the outer c osure flaps 23 and 26 are then moved to horizontal position, the slots 23a and 26a in the flaps accommodating the upwardly extending handle portions 22a and 24a. It will be noted that the flaps 23 and 26 and the flaps 22 and 24 have a length such that they have substantial overlapping areas when folded into closing position. In completing the top closing of the container, the tabs 22c and 240 are moved into their positions of FIG. 4 with the free ends of the flaps 22c and 240 extending between the legs of the handle portions 220 and 24a. It will be noted that the tabs 22c and 240 preferably have a width such that they overlie substantially all of the overlapping areas of the outer closure flaps. The tabs 22c and 240, further, are of equal length and have a wedge-shaped configuration widening at their junction with their respective side panels 10 and 12, respectively. The tabs 22c and 24c are cut to the junction of their closure flaps with the side panels so that they may overlie the last-closed outer flaps (23 and 26) thereby reinforcing them and preventing the carrying handle structure from bowing upwardly when a heavily loaded, full container is being carried by the handle. The passage of the end portions of the flaps through the handholes serves to lock the tabs in place. This safeguard against upward bulging or bowing of the structure when a full container is carried by the handle is achieved without requiring any larger or more complicated container blank than would be required for the conventional, upwardly-turned handle portion type of structure.

I claim:

1. In a container having a generally rectangular end closure flap extending from each of its side panels, one opposed pair of end flaps being folded toward each other to form inner closure flaps and another opposed pair being folded toward each other to overlie said one pair of end flaps and form outer closure flaps, the inner closure flaps having adjacent registering marginal portions extending upwardly out of the plane of the end flaps to form a carrying handle for the container and the outer closure flaps having slots therein through which the carrying handle portions extend, the improvement comprising a tab cut from each of said inner closure flaps and extending from said handle portion of the inner closure flap to the junction of the flap with its side panel, said tabs" being folded toward each other and out of the plane of the inner flaps to overlie said outer flaps and extend into locking engagement with said handle portions to thereby prevent bulging of the end closure flaps when a heavily loaded container is supported by its handle.

2. The improvement in a container as claimed in claim I in which the opposite closure end flaps overlap each other at their free ends, with said tabs having a width such that they overlie substantially all of the overlapping areas of said outer closure flaps.

3. The improvement in a container as claimed in claim 2 in which said handle forming portions of said inner flaps have an inverted U-shaped configuration with the free end portions of said tabs extending between the handle legs.

4. The improvement in a container as claimed in claim 2 in which all of said end closure flaps are of equal length and tabs have a wedge-shaped configuration widening at their junction with their respective side panel.

I. i l i I 

1. In a container having a generally rectangular end closure flap extending from each of its side panels, one opposed pair of end flaps being folded toward each other to form inner closure flaps and another opposed pair being folded toward each other to overlie said one pair of end flaps and form outer closure flaps, the inner closure flaps having adjacent registering marginal portions extending upwardly out of the plane of the end flaps to form a carrying handle for the container and the outer closure flaps having slots therein through which the carrying handle portions extend, the improvement comprising a tab cut from each of said inner closure flaps and extending from said handle portion of the inner closure flap to the junction of the flap with its side panel, said tabs being folded toward each other and out of the plane of the inner flaps to overlie said outer flaps and extend into locking engagement with said handle portions to thereby prevent bulging of the end closure flaps when a heavily loaded container is supported by its handle.
 2. The improvement in a containeR as claimed in claim 1 in which the opposite closure end flaps overlap each other at their free ends, with said tabs having a width such that they overlie substantially all of the overlapping areas of said outer closure flaps.
 3. The improvement in a container as claimed in claim 2 in which said handle forming portions of said inner flaps have an inverted U-shaped configuration with the free end portions of said tabs extending between the handle legs.
 4. The improvement in a container as claimed in claim 2 in which all of said end closure flaps are of equal length and tabs have a wedge-shaped configuration widening at their junction with their respective side panel. 